Creole Red Beans

Vince Hayward use his own family’s Camellia brand red kidney beans in the dish, along with smoked ham hock sourced from Jacob’s in La Place, Louisiana. He also uses the “Holy Trinity”—that Creole and Cajun mirepoix of onion, celery and bell pepper—and his own personal Creole seasoning blend to lend the dish its signature perfume, elevating simple red beans and rice to the sublime. To a large heavy pot or a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook, stirring occasionally, until the foam subsides and the solids have lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Season the veal cutlets all over with salt and black pepper, and then dust in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer half of the meat to the pot and cook until browned on one side, about 2½ minutes.

Flip and continue cooking on the other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, then add another tablespoon of butter; once melted, brown the remaining cutlets and transfer to the plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot; once it has melted, stir in the bell pepper, onion, celery, leek, and garlic, scraping up any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, then cover and cook until the vegetables have softened slightly, about 4 minutes.

Remove the lid, then stir in the mushrooms; continue cooking, uncovered and stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15–20 minutes. Stir in the stock, again scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, then uptick the heat to high to bring to a boil. Add the reserved veal and the tomatoes to the pot, making sure the meat is fully submerged.

Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to maintain a simmer; cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, and the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meanwhile prepare the grits: Set a medium pot over medium-high heat and add 1½ teaspoons of the butter.

Once melted, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and black pepper, add the milk, and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the grits, bring back up to a boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grits just begin to thicken, about 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes more. Stir in the remaining butter, then season to taste with salt and black pepper.